[Lord Toneking]

Ususally I hang mine at least 5 days. This year I could only hang it for 2 1/2 days because of warm weather...and man what a difference! The meat is not nearly as tender as in previous years.

Sounds gross, but it's called a 'controlled rot' of your meat. I think a vast majority of hunters don't realize how important it is to hang your deer longer than you would think.

Some people think I'm :crazy: for this thinking

 

[buckslayer30/06]

i usually only hang my deer for about 3 days i may have to take your longer hanging period under consideration...

 

[ronn]

I use to hang a deer for as long as the weather would allow. Now I just take it straight to the butcher cause I don't see any difference. and its not like I've only done one deer either way, there have been bunches. So to me there is no real difference. The difference comes in whether the deer was on the run, stressed, when he died or its death took it by surprise. just my opinion.

 

[ronn]

oh and another thing if its heart isn't beating cutting its throat does nothing. they stick a pigs throat because that's how they use to kill them.

 

[10 point]

I like to clean mine myself a few hours after I kill it put it in a cooler with ice and water change it out for about 3 days then cut it off the bone.

 

[Hunting Man]

36-42* and I like 5-7 days. If weather doesn't allow I fire up the garage fridge and do it in there. Good steak houses allow up to 30 days to make a really good steak! I don't go that long.

 

[Buckshot]

I agree with Ron that I think the way the deer dies has an influence on the meat. It always seemed to me that deer that bled out well have a better tatse than ones that drop on the spot. There is no doubt that properly hanging deer up to 7 days will make it more tender.

 

[Hunting Man]

Old vs young also has some imput as to tenderness.

 

[dancingbear]

Our weather had usually been too warm to hang a deer for more than overnight, but after we cut it up, we age it in the fridge for at least 3 days before freezing, I have aged it as long as 6 days.

I also soak the meat in a brine solution to make it more moist than it would be otherwise. Brining takes more of the blood out, too.

The backstrap has always been really tender, most of the rest I either tenderize for chicken-fried steak, grind for burger or pressure can in stew, chili, or just plain. I've crock-pot cooked tough cuts and used them for barbecue sandwiches or other dishes.

My DH has usually tries to get does or young bucks, they're pretty tender anyway. Certainly tasty!

 

[wrangerrambler]

never heard of hanging a deer. can some of ya'll explain? always shot it, cleaned it, froze it, and ate it.

 

[ronn]

its liked aged beef. suppose to eat better. maybe it does but i haven't been able to tell the difference.

 

[ARKANSAS WHITETAILER]

I, like some of the others can't hang mine. Our weather the last few years has not allowed it in South Arkansas. Not to mention you got to hide inside a shed or high enough the coyotes can't reach it. I believe it may make a marginal difference, but brining in an ice chest for 2 days is the best and easiest way to do it. Just have plenty of salt and ice on hand and keep the bloody water changed out. I think the water way also helps release the bones when processing too.

 

[patricio]

there is no no need to hang your deer, you can age it in your refrigerator,and you dont need to age the tenderloins all this will get you is a shrunken tenderloin that isnt any more tender, i always cut out the backstrap and tenderloin immedietly and usualy slice some, dredge it in seasoned flower, and throw it in a pan wile its still warm and enjoy.

 

[KTL]

If you do hang your deer, I have always been told to hang a deer by it's hind legs. That way any blood will drain out mouth/nose and not over your hind quarters where your steaks are. If temps permit it, aging the deer outside will give the meat time for the proteins to break down the meat and tenderize it. In general terms, the longer you can age a whitetail’s carcass, up to 10 days or so, the more tender the meat will become. For yearlings, and younger deer in general, the aging process doesn’t need to be as lengthy. When it comes to aging, don’t expect miracles. Old mossy horns will never become as tender as a Holstein that has been grain fed and finds it a struggle to walk across a quarter mile of pasture, but meat that is properly aged and suitably processed need not be so tough that your jaw muscles get an unwelcome workout every time you eat it.

 

[Hunting Man]

I like to hang mine or if weather doesn't allow I just 1/4 it and put in the garage fridge for a week. Really good steak restarants serve aged meat thats been in a cooler for 30 days. :wink:

 

[South Alabama's Finest]

we have a big walk in cooler and we usually dont let ours hang no more than 7days but atleast 5 days, unless we get the cooler full then we just start gettin the one that has been in the longest out and so on until deer season is over and we havae no more deer

 

[BruceBruce1959]

If the Deer is going to the local butcher for processing then there's no need to hang it at all, unless the butcher is closed.
In that case just hang it till morning and take right in, if it's extremely warm out be sure to pack the cavity with ice over-night.

The butcher will most likely be busy during hunting season but in most cases a deer will hang in his walk-in cooler long enough
to complete the rigor mortise process (a 72 hour process) (3 days)
If he isn't busy just ask him to let the deer hang for at least 72 hours
(3 days) before butchering.

I've heard so many stories on why hunters hang their deer and the reasons why you should hang them that long but the real fact is,
The only reason a deer should be hung is for the rigor mortis process,
Rigor mortis is very important in meat technology. The onset of rigor mortis and its resolution partially determines the tenderness of meat.

So to keep your meat safe for consumption and help it reach it's best meat quality, (tenderness, taste & vitamin/nutrient capacity)
let it hang in the butchers cooler. :thumbup:

 

[Hunting Man]

Personally, I would never butcher a deer prior to a week ageing in a well controlled enviroment. Ever wonder why a restarant 25.00 steak tastes so much better than a fresh steak from a grocery store? Most times they both get the meat locally so whats the difference? Ageing! I wasn't kidding when in prior posts that good steak houses age their beef 30 days to get that melt in your mouth tender steak. The cellelar breakdown takes many days to occur if you want really tender meat.

 

[BruceBruce1959]

Personally, I would never butcher a deer prior to a week ageing in a well controlled enviroment. Ever wonder why a restarant 25.00 steak tastes so much better than a fresh steak from a grocery store? Most times they both get the meat locally so whats the difference? Ageing! I wasn't kidding when in prior posts that good steak houses age their beef 30 days to get that melt in your mouth tender steak. The cellelar breakdown takes many days to occur if you want really tender meat.

I agree with you HM, In a "Well controlled Environment" You can probably let it hang for months.
I was only pointing out that the only reason to hang meat was due to the Rigor Mortis process which takes between 36 and 72 hours.
Hanging meat a week or longer is fine "In a well controlled envioronment" But if it's hanging outdoors or in a garage exposed to the bacterial elements that's just asking for tainted meat, So my advice would be to just get it to the Butcher as quickly as possible where it can hang safely for weeks if needed...

Here's another way to think about it,, If a hunter hangs a deer in questionable temperatures for days maybe a solid week would you want it brought into your butcher and risk having it hang next to your deer for what could be another week or two maybe longer depending on how busy the butcher is? not me.

So that's another reason why it's best to just get it to the butchers cooler as quickly as possible. Most butchers will let it hang for as long as you wish if they have the room.

 

[Rozman62]

On average rigor mortis begins 3-4 hours after death and completes in about 12 hours. Cause of death, weather conditions are factors/variables that effect these times. 72 hours seems excessive. I have seen different sources on this info but the 12 hour range seem to be the most consistent.